NORMAL – With a unanimous vote, Normal Town Council members approved an ordinance authorizing the 2017 property tax levy. The 2017 levy totals $12,958,494, which is an increase of $783,694 from the 2016 levy, an increase of 6.44 percent. Council members reviewed the levy at their Nov. 6 meeting and directed Town Staff to prepare the ordinance. A public hearing was required to be held prior to the vote because the increase in the property tax was over five percent.

General fund operations and Normal Public Library operations funding were the only two of the levy’s six components that have no dollar increases mentioned. They are the only funds that have local control, as well.

The other four components do have increases and break down this way: The police pension contribution was increased by 13.64 percent, or $275,600, to $2,296,600; Fire pension contribution was increased by 21.17 percent, or $364,200, to $2,084,200; and Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund contribution was increased by 8.71 percent, to $1,721,930. The Town’s annual Medicare/Social Security contribution registered the smallest increase of less than less than one-half percent, to $1,351,964. The Town, by State law, must maintain contributions to these four funds.

The measure passed but not before local residents had their say during the public hearing. Eleven residents spoke before Council members, most of them opposed to the increase. Craig Stimpert told Council members that he has “the utmost respect for police and fire service employees, and Town employees but he pointed out the Town has increased property taxes each year for the past 11 years.

Ed Neaves, treasurer for Illinois Realtors Group, which represents realtors Statewide, told Council members, “We’re asking government to do no harm to realtors trying to sell a house. Quit going back to property owners every time you need money.” Stimpert and Neaves were among 11 residents who addressed Council members about the proposed increase, the majority of them opposed to it.

During the Council discussion following the public hearing, Council Member Chemberly Cummings told the gathering of between 40-50 residents present about the statute which the Town operates behind which allows for consideration of raising property taxes. She also credited the audience members who spoke for having “trust in a roomful of people to share your heart, and we appreciate that.”

Council Member Kevin McCarthy told the gathering the Town’s general fund has not had an increase to its coffer in 12 years, belaying concerns about how the new money coming in would be used.

The Town of Normal only has control of roughly 17.3 percent of a resident’s tax bill, a report prepared for Council members by Andrew Huhn, the Town’s director of finance. The remaining governing bodies controlling the tax bill (and their percentage of control in 2016) include: Unit 5 School District (60.8 percent); McLean County (10.6 percent); Heartland Community College (6.8 percent); Normal Township (2.7 percent); Normal Water Reclamation District (2.1 percent); and Central Illinois Airport Authority (1.4 percent).

Property Taxes From Certain Bonds Approved For Abatement: Council members unanimously approved 11 ordinances authorizing abating of 2017 Property Taxes for debt service. The ordinances abated over $5.7 million in property taxes for the following bonds: 2008 bonds issued in August 2008; 2009 bonds issued in July that year to refund the 2003 bond; 2009(A) bonds issued in July that year; 2010(A) bonds issued November that year; 2012 bonds issued September that year to refund 2004 bonds; 2013 bonds issued November that year to refund 2005 bonds; 2014 bonds issued November that year; 2016(A) bonds issued March that year to refund 2006 bonds; 2016(B) bonds issued March that year; 2017(A) bonds issued March that year to refund 2007 bonds; and 2017(B) bonds issued March that year to refund 2007 bonds. The total amount of the bonds was $6,543,152. But there were Supranational/Sovereign/Agency bonds, or SSA bonds, totaling $796,899 that was not abated. As a result, the total of the bonds abated was $5,746,253.

Latest Community Investment Plan Approved: Before Council members finished out the roughly 2 ½ session, they received an update from Andrew Huhn, Town Finance Director, concerning the Community Investment Plan for the Town for Fiscal year 2017-18 through FY 2022-23. The proposed plan for that calendar period includes a total of 183 capital projects that are to be completed over a six-year period beginning with this fiscal year. Those projects, Huhn explained, total roughly $94.6 million.

• Approval of Town of Normal Expenditures for payment as of Nov. 29, 2017.

• A motion extending the Diabetes Disease Management Program for one year.

• A resolution requesting permission to close a portion of U. S. Highway 51 for the annual Jaycees Christmas Parade.

• A resolution authorizing the renewal of a joint agreement with the City of Bloomington and the Ecology Action Center for an energy efficiency program.

• A motion to authorize an amendment to the FY 2017-18 Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) budget for the general fund.

• A resolution to accept bids and award a contract to Bloomington-based Stark Excavating, Inc. in the amount of $59,799 for the Adelaide Street sanitary extension project along West College Ave.

• A resolution authorizing the City Manager to accept a bid in the amount of $904,063.06 from New York-based Presidio Networked Solutions Group, LLC for the purchase of network infrastructure.

• A resolution to conditionally approve a final plat for the Miller Storage Subdivision (2717 N. Main ).

• A resolution approving a property tax settlement agreement.

• An ordinance approving a redevelopment agreement for the property located at 1404 Fort Jesse Rd.

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